Modified jersey barrier foundation system

ABSTRACT

A foundation system utilizes conventional construction barriers, such as Jersey barriers, or the like, to form a foundation stem wall. Various modifications are made to the construction barriers to permit their use in both on frame and off frame construction. The foundation system of the present invention may also be used for conventional construction, including stud wall construction and block home construction. Generally, an on frame construction technique is used for modular or metal structures where the metal frame remains on the bottom of the walls. This permits, for example, the re-addition of a tongue, axles, wheels, and the like, to allow the building to be moved if desired. With off frame construction, the modular sections of the building are lifted off the frame and attached to, for example, a stem wall via connectors, straps, or the like.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/243,599, filed Aug. 22, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/207,833, filed Aug. 20, 2015, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to foundation systems and, more particularly, to a foundation system which makes use of Jersey barriers used in the construction industry.

Stem walls are supporting structures that are used as a means of joining the foundation of a building with the vertical walls constructed on the foundation. The stem wall is often constructed with the use of concrete and steel, and works with or without the foundational slab to create a solid basis for the building. Along with establishing foundational integrity for the building, stem walls also aid in minimizing damage to the materials used to create the vertical walls.

A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall is a modular concrete barrier typically employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing the crossover case of a head-on collision. Jersey barriers are also used to reroute traffic and protect pedestrians during highway construction. A Jersey barrier is also known in the western United States as K-rail, a term borrowed from the California Department of Transportation specification for temporary concrete traffic barriers. A similar product, called the Ontario tall wall, is formed in a similar manner and used for a similar purpose as Jersey barriers.

Jersey barriers are made at various production facilities throughout the country and are readily available. Similarly, concrete blocks are readily available. However, when building stem walls from concrete blocks, significant labor is required in lifting, placing, stacking, setting reinforcing rebar, filling, and the like.

As can be seen, there is a need for a system that can reduce the labor and time required for the formation of stem walls, and other similar structures, in building construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a foundation system designed for on frame modular structures and conventional metal buildings comprises a plurality of construction barriers disposed to retain a structure thereupon; and a plurality of metal plates attached to a top portion of at least a subset of the plurality of construction barriers, wherein each of the plurality of constructions barriers are formed as a single unit from solid concrete.

In another aspect of the present invention, an off frame foundation system comprises a plurality of construction barriers disposed to retain a structure thereupon; and a plurality of tie down straps embedded into and extending from a top portion of each of the plurality of construction barriers, wherein each of the plurality of constructions barriers are formed as a single unit from solid concrete.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for building a stem wall for a foundation of a structure comprises placing a plurality of construction barriers so that a top surface of the construction barriers define at least an outer periphery of the structure; connecting a bottom member of the structure to the plurality of construction barriers via a plurality of interconnection members, wherein each of the plurality of constructions barriers are formed as a single unit from solid concrete, and the plurality of interconnection members include one of a plurality of tie down straps extending from the top surface or a plurality of metal plates attached to the top surface.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a foundation system member having a metal plate embedded into the member to permit an “on frame” modular or metal structure to be welded to the plate to create a stem wall foundation system;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the foundation system member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a top view of a foundation plan using the foundation system members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a side view of a portion of the foundation plan of FIG. 3A, with a structure attached thereto;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a foundation system member having tie down straps embedded therein to permit an “off frame” modular or conventional stem wall type foundation to be prepared;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the foundation system member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the foundation system member of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7A is a foundation plan using the foundation system members of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7B is a side view of a portion of the foundation plan of FIG. 7A, with a structure attached thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal configuration of a commercial implementation of any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may be configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a foundation system that utilizes conventional construction barriers, such as Jersey barriers, or the like, to form a foundation stem wall. Various modifications are made to the construction barriers to permit their use in both on frame and off frame construction. The foundation system of the present invention may also be used for conventional construction, including stud wall construction and block home construction. The construction barriers can be retired construction barriers, repurposed for the uses described herewithin.

Generally, an on frame construction technique is used for modular or metal structures where the metal frame remains on the bottom of the walls. This permits, for example, the re-addition of a tongue, axles, wheels, and the like, to allow the building to be moved if desired. With off frame construction, the modular sections of the building are lifted off the frame and attached to, for example, a stem wall via connectors, straps, or the like.

Embodiments of the present invention use construction barriers to create a solid and stable stem wall that can be used for both on frame and off frame construction. The use of such construction barriers can create a stem wall in a single day with less labor required as compared to conventional concrete block stem wall construction. Moreover, because the construction barriers are often formed in lengths up to 12 feet, the number of components needed to create a stem wall is greatly reduced when compared to 16-inch long concrete blocks.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3B, in one embodiment of the present invention, a metal plate 12 can be embedded into a barrier 10 so an on frame modular or metal structure can be welded to the plate 12, creating a stem wall foundation system 14. The metal plates 12 can be embedded into the barrier 10 by various methods. For example, one or more anchor bolts 16 can be secured into the barrier and the metal plate 12 can be secured to the anchor bolts 16. The anchor bolts 16 can be secured into the barrier by various methods as may be known in the art. For example, the anchor bolts 16 may be placed into drilled holes and secured with an epoxy designed for such a purpose. In other embodiments, the anchor bolts 16 and/or the metal plate(s) 12 could be formed into the barrier 10 during their initial casting.

Regardless of method of formation, the metal plate 12 can be positioned to be generally flush with a top surface 18 of the barrier. The metal plate 12 can be various sizes. One example is a 6-inch square metal plate, as shown in the drawings. However, the metal plate 12 can be other shapes and/or sizes, as may be desired or required by building codes, for example.

The metal plates 12 can be formed at various locations of the foundation. In some embodiments, each barrier 10 can include one or more metal plates 12. In other embodiments, only certain barriers 10 will include one or more metal plates 12. Each metal plate 12 can provide an attachment point to attach the frame of the on frame modular structure (not shown) to the barrier 10. The number of barriers 10 used in the foundation, the positioning of the barriers 10, and the like, may be determined by the structure to be attached to the barriers 10 as well as the local building codes. In some embodiments, one or more spaces 20 may be kept between barriers to create a crawl space under the building.

As can be seen from FIG. 3A, the corners 22 of the barriers may be mitered to a 45-degree angle to create corners. Of course, other mitered angles may be used depending on the desired shape. The corners 22 may be interconnected in various manners. For example, a top plate 12 may be embedded across the corners to interconnect the two barriers 10 forming the corner. In some embodiments, rebar (not shown) may be embedded into the mating surfaces of the barriers 10 making up the corners 22. Other interconnection methods, as may be contemplated by one skilled in the art, are included within the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, the corners 22 may be formed of barriers having the metal plate 12 at the corner 22, where the structure is attached (such as by welding) to each of the metal plates 12 at the corner 22, effectively interconnecting the corner barriers via the structure itself.

FIG. 3B shows a side view of a structure 32 attached to the barrier 10 in an on frame construction. The structure 32 includes a frame 30 that can be bolted, welded, or the like, to metal plate 12. While FIG. 3B shows the barrier 10 resting on the ground 34, in some embodiments, the barrier 10 may be buried into the ground, may be placed on footers, or the like, depending on local building codes, for example.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 7B, an off frame modular, conventional stem wall type construction, or conventional frame with block construction may be performed using the barrier foundation 40 shown. The barriers 42 would include a plurality of tie down straps 44 embedded into a top 46 of the barrier 42 to create a tie down system. The barriers 42 could be put in place and sections of the home can be craned onto the foundation 40. The tie down straps 44 can them be bent straight up and nailed or screwed into the sill plate (not shown) which runs around the circumference of the home. In some embodiments, the tie down straps 44 may be designed to secure blocks to the barriers 42 so that blocks may be built atop of the barriers 42.

The spacing of the tie downs 44 can vary, as may be required by local building and wind codes. For example, the tie downs 44 may be spaced 12 or 16 inches, on center. The tie downs 44 can be of various lengths, again depending on the building codes, engineering requirements, or the like.

Similar to the metal plates 12 discussed above, the tie down straps 44 may be embedded into or formed integrally with the barriers 42 by various techniques. In some embodiments, the tie down straps 44 may extend from rebar 48 embedded in the barriers 42. A foundation 40 formed by the barriers 42 can be formed in various shapes and sizes. Additional barriers 42 may be provided centrally for added structural support as may be needed. FIG. 7 shows one example of a foundation 40 using the barrier system of the present invention.

In some embodiments, the barriers 10, 42 may be formed with an opening 50, as shown in FIG. 1. A screen or other such structure may be disposed in the opening 50 to allow for ventilation of a crawl space below a structure placed on the barriers 10, 42. The opening 50 may be formed in various sizes and shapes, and are typically rectangular or square. To form the opening 50, the barriers 10, 42 may be cut as needed. In some embodiments, an insert, such as a foam insert, may be placed in the barrier mold during the formation process. The insert is then removed when the concrete of the barrier is cured, leaving the opening 50 behind. The opening 50 may be located at various locations depending on user needs, building code, and the like. In some embodiments, each barrier 10, 42 may include the opening 50. In other embodiments, only some of the barriers 10, 42 may include the opening 50. In some embodiments, openings may be positioned within three feet of each corner 22 of a foundation.

FIG. 7B shows a side view of a structure 52 attached to the barrier 42 in an off frame construction. The structure 52 includes a frame 50 that can be attached to the tie down straps 44. While FIG. 7B shows the barrier 42 resting on the ground 54, in some embodiments, the barrier 42 may be buried into the ground, may be placed on footers, or the like, depending on local building codes, for example.

While the above discussion refers to construction barriers, such as Jersey barriers, the present invention is not limited to such structure. One embodiment of the present invention is drawn to the re-purposing of such construction barriers for use in foundation and stem wall systems. However, other embodiments of the present invention may use similar concrete structures that are formed specifically for the construction industry, such as those generally used in Department of Transportation projects. The final product, regardless of source, will have a length that extends at least 10 feet, typically 12 feet long. Of course, this length may be cut as needed, however, these lengths allow for simple and rapid stem wall formation without having to set block, as is conventionally performed.

The construction barriers may be formed for the purposes described above or may be repurposed for these uses from retired construction barriers. For example, one can repurpose retired barriers and drill out holes to add the plates by welding rebar to the plates and filling the holes with industrial epoxy then attaching the plate. This can be used for on frame modular, metal buildings. Alternatively, tie downs anchors typically used in off frame modular and convention frame construction can be attached in the same manor. Epoxy can be used to glue the rebar for conventional block and the rebar welded to the plate for metal and on frame modular. The same methods can be used to attach the tie downs (such as Simpson Stong-Tie® tie downs, for example) utilized in the off frame and conventional frame construction techniques.

While the Figures show particular shapes and relative sizes for the barriers and modifications thereto, other dimensions are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. For example, the height, width and shape of the barrier may vary according to need, application or the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An on frame foundation system designed for on frame modular structures and conventional metal buildings comprising: a plurality of department of transportation construction barriers disposed to retain a structure thereupon; and a plurality of metal plates attached to a top portion of at least a subset of the plurality of construction barriers, the plurality of metal plates positioned to be generally flush with a top surface of the plurality of construction barriers, wherein each of the plurality of constructions barriers are formed as a single unit from solid concrete.
 2. The on frame foundation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metal plates include one or more anchor bolts embedded into the plurality of construction barriers and attached to the metal plate.
 3. The on frame foundation system of claim 1, wherein a corner of the foundation system is formed from two of the plurality of construction barriers cut at an angle, wherein a corner metal plate covers a joint formed by the two construction barriers.
 4. The on frame foundation system of claim 3, wherein the corner metal plate includes at least a first anchor and a second anchor, where the first anchor is embedded into one of the two construction barriers and the second anchor is embedded into the other of the two construction barriers, wherein each of the first and second anchors are attached to the corner metal plate.
 5. The on frame foundation system of claim 1, further comprising a ventilation opening formed through at least one of the plurality of construction barriers.
 6. An off frame foundation system comprising: a plurality of construction barriers disposed to retain a structure thereupon; and a plurality of tie down straps embedded into and extending from a top portion of each of the plurality of construction barriers, wherein each of the plurality of constructions barriers are formed as a single unit from solid concrete.
 7. The off frame foundation system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of tie down straps extend from rebar extending longitudinally through each of the plurality of construction barriers.
 8. The off frame foundation system of claim 6, further comprising a ventilation opening formed through at least one of the plurality of construction barriers.
 9. A method for building a stem wall for a foundation of a structure, comprising: placing a plurality of construction barriers so that a top surface of the construction barriers defines at least an outer periphery of the structure; connecting a bottom member of the structure to the plurality of construction barriers via a plurality of interconnection members, wherein each of the plurality of constructions barriers are formed as a single unit from solid concrete, and the construction barriers are modified to include the plurality of interconnection members, where the plurality of interconnection members includes one of a plurality of tie down straps extending from the top surface or a plurality of metal plates attached to the top surface.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bottom member of the structure is a metal frame and the plurality of interconnection members are metal plates.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching the metal plates to the plurality of construction barriers via one or more anchor bolts.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the bottom member of the structure is a frame of the structure and the plurality of interconnection members are tie down straps.
 13. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing ventilation under the structure via one or more openings formed in one or more of the plurality of construction barriers. 